My heart is happy. Although there are many things left undone for the day, there are many more things fulfilled. Sometimes I ruin a happy heart by racing to get everything undone complete. I'm coming to realize there will always be things undone at the end of the evening. My life is too full right… Continue reading Happy Heart (Ruth’s SOLS 3/31)
Author: Ruth Ayres
Unhurried. Finding the magic in the middle of living. Capturing a life of ridiculous grace + raw stories.
Starting the Day (Ruth’s SOLS 2/31)
It begins still and dark, then beeps and stretches. Shower running, light streaming in from the bathroom, I know my time is running short. He comes close and kisses my forehead, "Are you getting up today?" he asks, same as always. Then he's gone. My shower is warm. Later, waiting on the sink, next to… Continue reading Starting the Day (Ruth’s SOLS 2/31)
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Be a writer.
I was talking with a Spanish teacher today about a Webinar we both "attended." She shared with me about how her paradigm shifted from giving worksheet after worksheet for students to complete to immersing them in the language. She said it was difficult to change her paradigm, but she kept working at implementing her new… Continue reading Be a writer.
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Hello March! (Ruth’s Slice of Life)
Hello March: I'm glad you're here -- even though you are filled with blustery weather and even a bit of snow, I've been waiting for you. Waiting for the hope that is in the crisp blue of your skies and in the new green of your buds. I'm waiting for the bursts of sunshine which… Continue reading Hello March! (Ruth’s Slice of Life)
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Keeping Joy.
Too often this business of ours is stressful. Too often we get worked up over things that don't really matter. Today's post is about keeping the joy through it all. The longer I teach, the more I realize the importance of keeping joy. Here are some ways I hold on to my joy, even on the rough… Continue reading Keeping Joy.
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Ruth’s SOLS: Remembering
Grading editorials; going through motions; completing the task, when I was smacked with images from four years ago. "Adoption is a choice to consider if you don't want the baby," I read aloud from the editorial I was grading. Just like that, my heart did a flip-flop and my son's birthmother was in my mind.… Continue reading Ruth’s SOLS: Remembering
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What is collaboration?
Main Entry: col·lab·o·rate Pronunciation: \kə-ˈla-bə-ˌrāt\ Date: 1871 1 : to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor (Merriam-Webster Online) I've been learning a lot about collaboration. Like many learning curves, I find myself with more questions than answers when it comes to collaboration. One of the main reasons I've been learning… Continue reading What is collaboration?
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Slice of Life Story CHALLENGE
The trimester ends in 7 days. So, beginning last Monday I challenged my students to write every day until the end of the trimester. (After that, I'll challenge them to join us here on Two Writing Teachers in the month-long Slice of Life Challenge in March.) Each day we read a little and then write… Continue reading Slice of Life Story CHALLENGE
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More on Standardized Testing.
Have you read the comments to this post? If not, you should scroll through. You'll find a slew of emotions. It is well worth checking out -- especially Ryan's comment, where he shares a speech by Lester Laminack. I thought I was done blogging about standardized testing, but then I heard this comment today: Standardized… Continue reading More on Standardized Testing.
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The Most Important Thing about Taking a Standardized Test
So check this little conversation from Saturday morning. It's starring my second grade daughter and me: H: So, Mom, are you impressed by my test scores? Me: What? H: Those are my NWEA test scores. I'm suppose to bring them home to you. Are you impressed? Me: Not really. H: (face falling) Oh. I thought… Continue reading The Most Important Thing about Taking a Standardized Test
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Teaching Endings
On Monday we discussed endings to editorials in my ninth grade class. This is how the teaching went: Me: I've noticed many of you are ready to write an ending, but aren't sure how to go about it. So let's talk about it. Will you pull out the mentor texts we've been studying and reread each… Continue reading Teaching Endings
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Let this be a reminder to you too!
I almost lost this: It's not quite a tragedy, since it is something I could have recovered. Granted it wouldn't have been much fun and I would have been grumbling on the inside about the time it takes to collect and scan old photos, especially old photos I've already scanned. Still, it was recoverable. Other… Continue reading Let this be a reminder to you too!
